Transmission



March 22, 1949.

E. O. V VH EATON TRANSMISSION Original Filed April 16, 1934 glwucwkwEsnir. U.WHE.AIDN

Patented Mar. 22, 1949 TRANSMISSION llstel 0. Wheaten, Toledo, Ohio,assignor to Kelly- Wheaton Company, Toledo, Ohio, a corporation of Ohioapplicati'n April 16, 1934, Serial No. 720,822, now Patent No.2,181,647, dated November 28, 1939. Divided and this application Jannary16, 1943, Serial No. 472,587

1 12 Claims. (Cl. 74-752) This invention relates to features of controlfor ing the plate l2 with the internal gear or overvarying theinterconnection between driving and driven shafts. I

This invention has utility when incorporated in transmissions includingmanually shiftable control means and at least to some extentinterconnected relatively automatic supplemental control means. Thedisclosure herein, as adapted for motor vehicle use. may be cut in. byconnection from an accelerator pedal. A manually operable selector maybe shifted out of neutral into reverse or forward. In so starting forforward, there is hydraulic control responsive to the driven shaftpick-up, which as so selected respective speeds may be designated asfirst, second and third forward speeds. With the driven shaft alignedwith the driving-shaft, the interconnection is shown to includeplanetary gearing as well as approximately coaxial hydraulic controlduct portions.

Referring to the drawing, the figure is a longitudinal section of anembodiment of the invention, having to do with a driven shaft actuatedpump in an automatic control as brought out in co-pending applicationSer. No. 245,835, filed December 15, 1938, Patent No. 2,320,960 June 1,1943, Transmission control, of which this case is acontinuation-in-part, as well as from divisional subject-matter ofPatent No. 2,181,647 Nov. 28, 1939, having to do more particularly withthe incorporation in Fig. 22 thereof, of the broken away portion indetail in Fig. 4 and in assembly in Fig. 1 of said patent.

The power fluid control is shown herein in association with 'fiyweighttype of governors. A driving shaft l extends to an intermediate shaft 2having an offset or crank forming portion 3. The intermediate shaft 2extends to a driven shaft 4. The driving shaft I has thereon a fluidpower device or gear pump 5 and a speed governor or fiyweight device 3.A bearing I permits relative rotation between the driving shaft orsection I and the intermediate or follower section 2. A bearing 8 in ahousing 9 permits relative rotation between the section, 2 and thedriven shaft or section 4.

Fixed with the shaft section i is a spider having an overhang forming aninternal gear in in mesh with planetary gearingpinion II. The shaftsection 2, at the offset 3 toward the bear.- ing I, has a plate portionl2 having therein a bearing I3 for a stub shaft l4 mounting the pinionCompression helical spring means l5 serve normally to hold a multi-diskmechanical friction grip device of clutch it against connecthang In. Thepinion II is fixed with the stub shaft 14 which has a gear l1 and apinion l2 formed as a part of said shaft l4. from the bearing I 3, theplate l2 has a bearing is for a shaft 20. Remote from the bearing I9. abearing 2| is in a crank or eccentric 22 from the shaft 2. From theoffset portion 3 of the shaft 2 and 180 from the bearings l3, 2 I, thereis a supplemental offset 23 for a bearing 24 adjacent the pinion I9, andthere providing support for the pinion l8 portion from the shaft l4.

The minor intermediate shaft 20, parallel to the line of the axis commonto the shaft sections I and 4, has fixed therewith adjacent the bearing2|, a pinion 25. Loose on the shaft 20, and adjacent the pinion 25, is apinion 26, connectable through an over-running clutch device 27 with agear 28 loose on a sleeve 29 fixed with the shaft 29. An over-runninggrip device or clutch 30 from the sleeve 23 serves to connect a pinion3i, on the shaft 20 adjacent the bearing l9, in mesh with the gear ii.The gear 28 is in. mesh with the pinion l8.

An internal gear 32 is in mesh with the pinion 26. The gear 32 may befree to rotate, as also companion internal gear 33 in mesh with thepinion 25. An antifriction bearing 33 is between the gears 32, 33. Abearing 35, for the opposite side of the gear 32, is in a plate 36 fixedwith the installation unit at a housing section 31. The remote side ofthe gear 33 has a bearing 38 on the intermediate shaft 2 adjacent itsafter bearing 39. The bearing 39 is in. axial alignment with thebearings I, 8, and a bearing 40 for the driving shaft l.

A spline connection 4i mounts the housing 9 for rotation with theintermediate shaft 2. The slidable housing 9 has an annular toothedclutch element 42 adjacent a fixed housing section 43. A control wire 44is connected for manually shifting a fork 45 engaged with a collar 45 ofthe housing 9. The fork 45 has a ball stop device ll adapted to coactwith seats in an arm 48 fixed with the general housing 31. At thelimiting shift of the housing 9 away from the housing section 43, theclutch element is in mesh engagement with a complementary toothed clutchelement 49, with the stop device 41 then engaging with a seat 50 forholding the transmission in for direct forward driving. initially atfirst speed, from the intermediate shaft section 2 to the driven shaftsection 4. In operating the wire 44 to bring the fork 45 for the stopdevice 47 to engage an intermediate seat 5|, then the ment 53, loose onthe shaft 4 and connected toa pinion 54 having connection in the housing43 with a reversing gear train to a pinion I! fixed with the shaft 4.

First speed forward With the selector wire 44 shifted to locate the fork45 for the stop device 41 to coact with the seat 50. the manual controlhas made a selection for forward, say with the installation driven froman internal combustion motor for an automobile. At this selection, onemay consider that the motor has been started and that the driving shaftl is rotating. This causes the driving shaft actuated power. fluidcontrol or gear pump 5 to draw oil from the sump or general housing 31for flow by a duct 56 as controlled by a pressure relief valve 51. Thespeed device 6, as the driving shaft rotation builds up, may act throughan arm is to shift a plunger valve 59 for pressure fluid to flow by aduct 60 to hydraulic chamber means 6|, where compression helical springmeans 62 normally holds multiple disk mechanical friction grip device orbrake 63 released. However, the fluid pressure, say adjusted for 10# bythe valve 51, may be effective at the chamber means I! to overcome thespring means 82 and thereby cause the grip device I to lock the internalgear 32 with a plate 4 fixed with the housing 31. This means that thedriving shaft I, through the gear ll, pinion ll, shaft l4, pinion ll,gear 28, and the pinion 26 in mesh with the held gear 32, are noweffective to transmit first or slow speed to turn the crank 22, theintermediate shaft section 2, and through the clutch connection 42, 49,rotate the driven shaft Disconnection may occur automatically as to thisfirst forward speed, upon slowing down of the driving shaft i. Theflyweight device 4 then shifts the plunger I! for return flow of fluidfrom the duct '4 to discharge at a'spill port It. This allows the springmeans '2 to exhaust the chamber means II and release the grip device 83.The gear-32 is thus free again.

\ Second speed forward Succeeding the building-up of speed for the firstspeed forward through the holding of the gear 32 by the grip device 83,there may be actuation from the driven shaft 4 of the driven shaftactuatable power fluid control or gear pump i6. Oil from the sump orhousing 61 is forced by this pump 86 through a duct II to a pressurerelief valve I, set at say it.

On the driven shaft 4, adjacent the pump BI, is a speed governor orflyweight device ll, effective through an arm ll, connected to a plungervalve 12. The arm 'II has a connection II to an additional plunger valvedevice 14. Inactive or outwardly thrust position for the plunger valvedevice I4 is normally maintained by a compression helical spring 15. Amanually operable control or stem 16 may open up a connectionfrom thesuction intake of an internal combustion motor as operating the drivingshaft I. This sub-atmospheric pressure may cause a diaphragm 11 in achamber II to overcome the spring 15.

The control it introduces a manual feature of influence to affect thetransmission. The control 16 may be connected to be operated from theaccelerator pedal. As so cut in, it leaves the functioning response forthe hydraulic control build-up of speed automatic. The vacuum influencefrom the started motor, in moving the connection It, has so moved thevalve I! that it is more in position to respond to the speed device I0through the common arm H therebetween.

The shifting of the valve I2 connects the ducts, in the hydraulic systemhaving these distributive valves, for flow of motive fluid from thedriven shaft actuatable pump II to a duct IO extending to hydraulicchamber means .0 at a multiple disk mechanical friction grip device orbrake device ti. Compression helical spring means I! normally hold thegrip device ll released from engaging action between the plate 04 andthe internal gear 83. At this grip stage, there is transmission from thedriving shaft l. toothed gearing l0, Ii, l1, 3|, 2', a, for a higher orsecond speed forward driving of the shafts 2, 4. This higher speed isdetermined by the ratio of the driving gear I! being in mesh with thedriven.

pinion 4| in this speed. For the lower or first speed, the transmissionwas from the pinion II to the gear 28. The rotation of this extendedplanetary gearing is effected from the internal gear it. In thisoperation at second speed forward, the grip device .3 is not released,but holds the gear 32 connected. This connection is not one to disturbthe higher or second speed, for the over-running clutch device 21 allowsthe transmission of this higher speed.

Third speed forward by way of a duct '4 to a ring chamber ll adjacentthe bearing 38. A radial port 44 in the shaft I is in communication withan axial and offset passage I! along the intermediate shaft 2. The

ring chamber and the axial portion of the passage adjacent the radialport I, are each coaxial with the driving shaft 1 and the driven shafts2, 4. The hydraulic control coaxial passage portion 81, from theintermediate shaft 2, has a radially extending portion into the plate I!for communication with hydraulic chamber means It to cause the multipledisk clutch II to be operated against the resistance of the spring meansl8. thereby to lock the plate I! with the gear III.

A direct drive connection is now effected for third or high speedforward driving of the shaft 4 from the shaft I. At once the drivenspeed slackens, the pressure developed from the driven speed pump 60 isnot so great and there follows therefrom an automatic checking back ofthe automatically selected speed to a different respective speed ratio.It is to be noted that after the first speed forward connection, thevarious automatic controls are effective variously and away from thru,about or upon the driving shaft I. The second and third speed forwardcontrols are responsive to the speedof the driven shaft 4, thruhydraulic and transmission effective connections brought into operationthru and from the driven shaft 4 in following from the driving shaft I.

Planetary gearing connects the driving shaft with an intermediate shaftaligned or coaxial therewith. Connection is completed to the driven'shaft. through the manual control, which may also be so operated as toconnect for reverse. by selecting the throw position therefor. Themanual selection for neutral releases the driven shaft from the gearingof the intermediate shaft. The over-running clutch 3| permits'the secondspeed or faster driving through the gearing as over first speed. Thedriven shaft actuatable .pump 86 is an automatic speed control feature.Hydraulic pressure at the grip means ll. does not interfere for secondspeed forward through the grip means 8|; nor both thereof when there isthird speed forward connection through the grip means It, due to theover-running clutch devices 21, 30, on the shaft 20.

What is claimed and it is desired to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A transmission embodying a driving shaft, a driven shaft, changespeed gearing therebetween. a fluid supply responsive to the speed ofthe driven shaft, multi-stage grip means for varying the gear ratioconnection, at least one of which grip means being friction, multi-stagehydraulic control to affect the change in gear ratio, said controlhaving one valve for controlling at least one of said gear ratios, andanother means including a valve responsive to the pressure of the fluidsupply, and a passage portion coaxial with the driving shaft forcontrolling one speed ratio.

2. A transmission embodying a driving shaft, a driven shaft, changespeed gearing therebetween, a hydraulic control to affect functioningchange in transmission connection between the driving and driven shaftsthrough said gearing, mechanical grip means for varying theinterconnection of said gearing and functioning in response to saidhydraulic control. a driven shaft speed responsive fluid supply for thehydraulic control, said hydraulic control including valve meansresponsive to the speed responsive fluid supply, and a passage coaxialwith, one of said shafts, said valve means controlling actuation of onegrip means to affect one gear ratio between the shafts, and additionalcontrol means for the flow from the supply.

3. A transmission embodying a driving shaft, a driven shaft, changespeed gearing therebetween, a multi-stage hydraulic control to affectfunctioning change in transmission connection between the driving anddriven shafts through said gearing and having driven shaft speedresponsive valve means, and a passage portion coaxial with the drivenshaft, multi-stage grip means functioning in response to said hydrauliccontrol, at least one of which grip means being of the friction type,said valve means and passage portion being a part of the control for oneof the gear ratio stages between the shafts, a driven shaft speedresponsive fluid supply for the hydraulic control, and additionalcontrol means to aflect the hydraulic control.

4. A transmission embodying a driving shaft, a driven shaft, changespeed gearing therebetween, a fluid supply responsive to the speed ofthe driven shaft, multi-stage grip means to affect different speedratios between the shafts, at least one of which grip means beingfriction, means for.controlling said multi-stage grip means. saidcontrolling means including automatically operable fluid control, saidfluid control comprising different passage portions extending todifferent stage grip means, said latter means being provided withshiftable means actuatably responsive from dif- 6 ferent speedsselectively thru said driven shaft fluid supply for rendering the speedincrease from and decrease back to an intermediate speed gear ratioindependently of manual intervention.

5. A transmission embodying a driving shaft,

a driven shaft, change speed gearing therebetween, a fluid supplyresponsive to the speed of the driven shaft, a fluid control,multi-stage grip means controlled by the fluid control to effectdiiferent speed ratios between the shafts including direct drive. atleast one of which grip means being friction, said fluid controlcomprising automatically operable flow control means and includingdifferent passage portions extending to diflerent stage grip means, saidlatter means being provided with shiftable means actuatably responsivefrom diflerent speeds selectively thru said driven shaft fluid supplyfor rendering the speed increase from and decrease back to anintermediate speed gear ratio independently of manual intervention.

6. A transmission embodying a driving shaft, a driven shaft, changespeed gearing therebetween, a housing in which said shafts and gearingare mountable, a fluid supply responsive tothe speed of the drivenshaft, a fluid control, selectively disconnectable multi-stage gripmeans controlled by the fluid control to effect different speed ratiosbetween the shafts including direct drive, at least one of which gripmeans being friction, said fluid control comprising flow control meansand including different shiftable means actuatably responsive fromdifferent speeds selectively in extendingto different stage grip meansand responsive to said driven shaft fluid supplyfor automaticallyrendering one of said gear ratios effective.

7. An automatic transmission comprising a plurality of gear trains, atleast one of said gear trains including overrunning gears, a driveshaft,

-a driven shaft adapted to be connected to said gears and directly tosaid drive shaft, a plurality of gripping means certain of which haveone part permanently connected to said gears and one of which has onepart adapted to be directly connected to the drive shaft, therebyproviding predetermined gear ratios, whereby the operation of aparticular gripping means sets up a transmission ratio difierent fromthose set up by the other gripping means, hydraulic means for actuatingone or more of the gripping means atthe same time and in sequence, meansfor supplying fluid under pressure, speed responsive means for directingthe supply of pressure fluid to said hydraulic means to actuate one ormore of said gripping means at the same time and in sequence, whereby acontinuous transmission of power uninterrupted by speed variations isset up, and manually operable means adapted to restrain the speedresponsive means against speed responsive actuation during apredetermined speed range, whereby a selected transmission ratio may bemaintained during said range.

8. An automatic transmission comprising a. plurality of gear trains, atleast one of said gear trains including overrunning gears, a driveshaft, a driven shaft adapted to be connected to said gears and directlyto said drive shaft, a plurality of gripping means including at leastone clutch; certain of which gripping means have one partpermanentlyconnected to said gears and one of which has one part adapted to bedirectly connected to the drive shaft, thereby providing predeterminedgear ratios, whereby the operation of a particular gripping means setsup a transmisone or more of the gripping 'meansat the same time and insequence. means for supplying fluid under pressure, speed responsivemeans for dircting the supply of pressure fluid to said hydraulic meansto actuate one or more of said gripping means at the same time and insequence, whereby a continuous transmission of power uninterrupted byspeed variations is set up, and manually operable means adapted torestrain the speed responsive means against speed responsive actuationduring a predetermined speed range, whereby a selected transmissionratio may be maintained during said range.

9. An automatic transmission comprising a plurality of gear trains, atleast one of said gear trains including overrunning gears, a driveshaft, a driven shaft adapted to be connected to said gears and directlyto said drive shaft, brake and clutch first means certain of which haveone part permanently connected to said gears and one of which has onepart adapted to be directly connected to the drive shaft, therebyproviding predetermined gear ratios, whereby the operation of aparticular first means sets up a transmission ratio different from thoseset up by the other first means, hydraulic means for actuating one ormore of the first means at the same time and in sequence, means forsupplying fluid under pressure, speed responsive means directing thesupply of pressure fluid to said hydraulic lmeans to actuate one, ormore of said first means at the same time and in sequence, whereby acontinuous transmission of power uninterrupted by speed variations isset up, and manually operable means adapted to restrain the speedresponsive means against speed responsive actuation during apredetermined speed range, whereby a selected transmission ratio may bemaintained during said range.

10. An automatic transmission comprising a plurality of gear trains, atleast one of said gear trains including overrunning gears, a driveshaft, a driven shaft adapted to be connected to said gears and directlyto said drive shaft, a plurality of gripping means certain of which haveone part permanently connected to said gears and one of which has onepart adapted to be directly connec ed to the drive shaft, therebyproviding predetermined gear ratios, whereby the operation of aparticular gripping means sets up a transmission ratio diiferent fromthose set up by the other gripping means, means adapted to actuate thegripping means, hydraulic means foractuat ing one or more of the gipping means at thr same time and in sequence, means for supplying fluidunder pressure, speed responsive means for directing the supply ofpressure fluid to said hydraulic mean to actuate one or more of saidgripping means at the same time and in sequence, whereby a continuoustransmission of power uninterrupted by speed variations is set up, andmanually operable means adapted to restrain the speed responsive meansagainst speed re- 8 sponsive actuation during a predetermined speedrange, whereby a selected transmission ratio may be maintained duringsaid range.

11. A transmission embodying a driving shaft. a driven shaft, variablespeed gears therebetween, a ,housing in which said shafts and gears aremountable, a fluid supply responsive to the speed of the driven shaft, afluid distribution system for, the fluid supply," selectivelydisoonnectable multi-stage grip means actuated by the fluid from thesupply for controlling the. gear/ratio relationship between said shafts,at least one of which grip means being friction, and control means forthe multi-stage grip means, said control means forming a part of saidfluid distribution system, and including passage portions extending tothe different grip means, said control means further including valvemeans, responsive to the pressure of the fluid supply for automaticallycontrolling one of said gear ratios.

12. A transmission embodying a driving shaft, a driven shaft, changespeed gearing therebetween, a, housing in which said shafts and gearsare mountable, a fluidsupply responsive to the speed of the drivenshaft, selectively disconnectable multi-stage mechanical grip means toeffect different speed ratios between the shafts, means for controllingsaid multi-stage grip means, said controlling means includingautomatically operable fluid control, said fluid control comprisingdifferent passage portions extending to different stage grip means, saidlatter means being provided with shiftable means actuatably responsivefrom diflerent speeds selectively thru said fluid supply to saidcontrolling means, independently of manual intervention for gear ratiochanges including speed increase from and decrease back to anintermediate gear ratio.

ES'IEL 0. WHEATON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 794,899 Sturtevant July 19, 1905907,711 Anthony Dec. 29, 1908 1,199,640 Vincent Sept. 26, 1916 1,523,648Jackson Jan. 20, 1925 1,619,703 Charlton Mar. 1,- 1927 1,619,705Chorlton Mar. 1, 1927 1,830,395 Hanson Nov. 3, 1931 1,865,690 Hanson -3.July 5, 1932 1,886,003 Garrison Nov. 1, 1932 2,019,146 Livermore Oct.29, 1935 2,181,647 Wheaton Nov. 28, 1939 2,245,857 Hale June 17, 19412,320,960 Wheaton June 1, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date366,105 Great Britain Jan. 18, 1932 746,253 France Mar. 7, 1933

